Roanoke County Death Index

Roanoke County death records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Salem and by the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Records in Richmond. Roanoke County (courthouse in Salem) is separate from the City of Roanoke and the City of Salem, both of which are independent cities that maintain their own separate death records and court systems.

Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk

The Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's Office is located in Salem. The county courthouse is in Salem even though Salem is itself an independent city. The clerk handles probate filings, land records, marriage licenses, wills, and court case files for Roanoke County specifically. Office hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Call ahead to confirm hours and copy fees before visiting.

The Circuit Court does not issue certified death certificates. Those come from the Virginia Department of Health. The court holds probate records tied to deaths within Roanoke County. Estate filings, wills, and inventories often include the date of death and names of heirs. Records go back to the county's founding in 1838.

It is important to distinguish Roanoke County from the City of Roanoke and the City of Salem. All three jurisdictions are separate under Virginia law. A death that occurred within the City of Roanoke or City of Salem is registered in that city's records, not in Roanoke County records. If you are not certain which jurisdiction a death falls under, check the address against current jurisdiction boundaries. Roanoke County is in the 23rd Judicial Circuit.

Virginia Death Records for Roanoke County

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records holds certified death certificates for Roanoke County deaths from June 1912 to the present. The office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mail requests to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Phone: (804) 662-6200.

Certified copies cost $12 each. Payment is accepted by check, money order, credit card, mobile pay, or cash. Make checks payable to State Health Department. Under Virginia Code Title 32.1, Chapter 7, death records become public 25 years after the date of death. Before that, only immediate family can request: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Photo ID is required.

For online ordering, VitalChek is the state's authorized third-party service. An additional fee applies beyond the $12 state charge. When placing a request, specify Roanoke County rather than just "Roanoke" to make clear you are not requesting a City of Roanoke record. VitalChek covers records from June 1, 1912 forward. Certified copies are also available at full-service Virginia DMV locations with a $2 convenience fee.

Search the Roanoke County Death Index Online

The Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS) lets you search Roanoke County court records at no cost. When searching OCIS, select "Roanoke County" specifically and not the City of Roanoke or City of Salem, which are separate entries. Search by party name or case number. The system covers civil, criminal, and probate filings.

The Library of Virginia holds death registers from 1853 to 1896 on microfilm, including Roanoke County records. These can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. The registers list name, race, sex, date and place of death, cause, age, occupation, marital status, and parents' names. For the Roanoke Valley region, these registers cover the period before the area developed into a significant regional center.

Virginia residents can access Ancestry for Virginians at no cost. This program provides free access to Virginia Death Records from 1912 to 2014 and Virginia Death Registers from 1853 to 1911. A free Library of Virginia card or participating library card is required.

FamilySearch has free Virginia death databases covering 1853 to 1912. Search for Roanoke County specifically to distinguish county records from those of the City of Roanoke or City of Salem.

Roanoke County Death Records: Historical Research

Roanoke County was formed from Botetourt County in 1838. The City of Roanoke and the City of Salem are both independent cities that are completely surrounded by Roanoke County but are separate jurisdictions under Virginia law. Death records in Roanoke County follow the statewide Virginia pattern: no systematic registration before 1853, registers from 1853 to 1896, a gap from 1897 through May 1912, and continuous state registration from June 1912 forward.

The 1897 to 1912 gap is a challenge for all Virginia counties. In the Roanoke Valley, church records and family papers from that period may be available through local historical groups. The death registers from 1853 to 1896 are at the Library of Virginia on microfilm. The Virginia Genealogical Society sponsors the Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, which covers Roanoke County entries.

The Library of Virginia holds a death index through 1954. Federal mortality census schedules from 1850 to 1880 are also at the Library of Virginia. Before 1853, the county's probate records at the Salem courthouse are the primary source for death information in Roanoke County. When researching deaths in this area, always confirm whether the jurisdiction was Roanoke County, the City of Roanoke, or the City of Salem, as the records for these three entities are kept separately.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or sit near Roanoke County. Each has its own Circuit Court and vital records resources for deaths in those jurisdictions.